Korsókra varázsolt legendák. Németh János figurális díszítésű edényei (Zalaegerszeg)

Legends on pitchers

Legends on pitchers János Németh'

s excellent autobiographical book, with a great storehouse of data, entitled Roots, appeared in 2002. The emblematic artist of Zalaegerszeg shows considerable expertise in the world of words, while depicting his career in a subjective way. Two years later an album, reviewing almost all his public place works ("Professed in the streets and squares...") was (also) issued by the Directorate of the Museums of Zala County. The present book, continuing on from the first, shows another characteristic segment of his grand life's-work: the potteries which are decorated with figures. The artist considers his much loved potteries as an outstanding professional achievement, we must add: with good reason. His pots are all masterpieces. The seemingly simple forms carry the traditions of folk art, as well as the artistic reminiscences of the history of culture, besides rustic techniques. "For me the mentality of folk art, the simplicity, the way the masters make their objects is the key factor. A genuine folk artist's starting point is himself. Nothing is determined for him. When he works, the world comes to an end around him. He thinks with his own head, he projects his own emotional world. What he does not know often "places there", consequently it looks natural" - confessed János Németh, in an interview in 1994, on the occasion of his 60th birthday in the Vasi Szemle. His way of thinking is similar to folk artists, to a great extent, which can be seen in the composition and form of his works. His art still cannot simply be called a modern derivative or a kind of "applied-folk art", that keeps formal and decorative devices otherwise empty. It is much more than that. As Ákos Koczogh wrote in 1986: "János Németh'

s...artistic world...can only be understood from his own laws. Experience, folk traditions, folk art, cultures, modern and civilized handicraft were gradually built into his life and their values became clear, organised, multiplied and understood." While a folk artist's way of looking is basically vertical, that of János Németh is vertical and horizontal at the same time. The adjectives, synthetic or eclectic, characterise his art best, since by combining different cultural elements he creates a uniquely new quality. Among his spiritual predecessors was Paul Gaugin, who was among the firsts to realise the independent quality of folk culture, (let it be the art of Breton peasants or native Tahitians), and who found an inspiring source for renewing his art, and by doing so became the direct precedent for the avantgárdé art which led to the 20th century's art-revolution. The comparison with Gaugin - one of the most symbolic figures of avant-garde artistic approach, who is replaceable by Matisse, Picasso or by any other relevant artist of the early 20th century from this point of view - might seem to be bizarre, but offers an opportunity to shed light on an important aspect. While Gaugin and the avantgárd artists were a hundred percent contemporary, revolutionary innovators, János Németh'

s art is not included in this group of modern ("trendy") art, which defines itself stylistically as contemporary. The reason for this apparent contradiction lies not only in the age-long time period, which is between their careers, but also in the fundamental difference despite the existing spiritual affinity. While the French painter and his followers enriched "high-art" with folk and primitive art, in János Németh's case it is the other way round: he enriches folk art with "high art". He looks at it from inside, identifying himself with its essence. Gaugin looked at it externally, without a feeling for it and simply by searching for a subject matter or formal device in it's original purity and simplicity represented by folk art. For Németh, by taking over the folk artist's mentality he raised the question "why?" What is the most important, while Gaugin did not aim for it, he tried to find answers to the question "how?". Németh feels at home in this medium and for him it is essentially reconcilable with the 20-21st centuries. That is why the moral values he represents are timeless and independent of age, while Gaugin expressed his longing for the lost golden age. János Németh's art - contrary to that of Gaugin - lies on clearly spiritual and moral ground. For that very reason it can offer a real alternative, as opposed to contemporary art, reviving an art interpretation, which is earlier and contrary to present-day art and is not for its own 13